Category Manager (Technology Sourcing)

Okta • San Francisco, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Okta's Strategic Sourcing and Procurement team is hiring an experienced Category Manager to lead global sourcing activities for Technology spend. The role owns sourcing strategy for complex, high-impact technology categories and leads high-value sourcing projects and commercial negotiations for products and services including Software, Network, SaaS, IaaS, Telephony, AI, and other technology requirements. The Category Manager partners with senior Technology stakeholders, drives cost savings while maintaining service quality and mitigating risk, and provides guidance to junior Category Managers and Tactical Sourcing team members. This role reports to the Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing – Technology. It is hybrid, with two days per week in the office, and must be based in Bellevue, Washington, or the San Francisco Bay Area.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in Technology sourcing and procurement, including category management, strategic sourcing, vendor management, risk management, or procurement in a large, global company environment.
• Ability to independently lead complex contract and commercial-term negotiations, with a deep understanding of technology contract law, commercial terms, and risk requirements.
• Experience owning end-to-end management of complex, high-dollar, or high-risk sourcing projects with minimal oversight.
• Experience mentoring or guiding junior category managers or sourcing staff.
• Ability to build data models and spend analyses that inform senior leadership decisions and to present findings and recommendations in an executive-ready format.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a record of building trust and alignment with senior business stakeholders, cross-functional partners, and key vendors.
• Experience owning strategic relationships with an organization's highest-spend or most critical suppliers and serving as an escalation point.
• Advanced proficiency with sourcing and contract systems, such as Workday Strategic Sourcing/Scout, Coupa, or Ironclad, and experience identifying and driving improvements in their use across category management.

Nice To Haves

• Professional certifications such as CSCP, CPSM, or CPIM.
• Experience driving M&A-related sourcing activity, including contract novation and consolidation.
• A track record of process or policy improvements that scaled across a sourcing function.
• Proficiency with analytics and reporting and a data-oriented approach to category strategy and negotiations.
• Experience with ERP and financial systems; familiarity with Coupa and Workday Strategic Sourcing (Scout).
• Ability to travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead sourcing strategies for Technology categories, partnering with senior stakeholders to understand long-term needs and deliver measurable value.
• Gather business and technical requirements and prepare documentation for RFx events, internal presentations, and business cases to secure approval for multi-year supplier agreements.
• Lead end-to-end strategic sourcing processes, including RFx events, supplier evaluations, project management, and commercial contract negotiations for complex, high-value technology initiatives.
• Negotiate commercial terms for project-level agreements and partner with Legal on Master Service Agreements and related exhibits.
• Identify and lead cost-optimization initiatives across strategic Technology categories.
• Analyze supplier proposals for high-dollar or high-risk expenditures and identify and mitigate risks associated with technology purchases.
• Build strategic relationships with senior business stakeholders and cross-functional teams, including Finance, Legal, Security, and Privacy, to align sourcing initiatives with business needs and ensure policy compliance.
• Own relationship strategies for the most strategic or highest-spend Technology suppliers, lead supplier performance reviews, and escalate supplier issues or negotiations beyond the scope of P3 Category Managers.
• Ensure adherence to company policies and procedures, and provide guidance and mentorship to junior team members.
• Build data models and spend analyses to inform leadership decisions and identify opportunities to streamline and consolidate portfolio spending.
• Brief leadership on strategy progress, savings, and market trends, presenting insights in an executive-ready format.

Benefits

• Equity, where applicable.
• Bonus.
• Health insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Vision insurance.
• 401(k).
• Flexible spending account.
• Paid leave, including PTO and parental leave, in accordance with applicable plans and policies.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior